Bass leaves Piper Aircraft; new CEO Kevin Gould takes over

Piper's Vice President of Operations Kevin J. Gould will take over his position effective June 26. John Becker, Piper's vice president of engineering, will become president of the company.

"All things come to an end," said Bass said in a prepared release Wednesday. "I have successfully completed my mission at Piper and am leaving the company in very capable hands. What I was brought in to do has been done, and it is now time for me to move on to other challenges."

Bass and other Piper officials could not be reached Wednesday.

The move comes little more than a month after Imprimis, a corporate finance and investment management firm that operates from offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, purchased Piper on May 1 from American Capital Ltd.

Imprimis officials could not be reached Wednesday.

Over the past year, the company has had to institute layoffs and furloughs as the general aviation industry has been buffeted by the economic downturn.

Both Indian River County Chairman Wesley Davis and Vero Beach City Manager Jim Gabbard felt good that the promotions came from within the existing company.

"It will be a seamless transition," said Gabbard.

Davis said the two men being promoted have institutional knowledge of the aircraft industry.

Gabbard said the city was notified of the changes this morning. He described Bass as a very talented individual who will do well in his future endeavors.

"We wish Mr. Bass the best," said Gabbard.

He added that he hopes the company would eventually be able to get back to the employment levels they had years ago.

Bass was hired by Piper in September 2003 after Chuck Suma stepped down from the position.

"Jim Bass has been an excellent leader of Piper, bringing about many important changes that made this company an attractive investment for us," Imprimis Managing Partner Stephen Berger said in the release.

A licensed private pilot, Gould has an extensive background in manufacturing and management. During his 12-year tenure at Boeing Co. in Washington, Gould's responsibilities ranged from industrial engineering to final aircraft-interior-assembly management.

In a December 2005 interview, Gould told Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, "I like to have honest and open communications with employees and share information with them about the company, whether it be good or bad."

Gould has a law degree from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

Before joining Piper, Gould spent two years as vice president of operations at Colorado-based Adam Aircraft, a designer and manufacturer of very light jet, or VLJ airplanes. There, he started production of the company's A500 composite aircraft, hired 300 employees and produced a dozen aircraft. The company later filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations.

"Piper became a formidable company that was able to attract new, stable and financially strong owners committed to investing in Piper's new product initiatives and expanding the company's market share, Gould said in the release. "With Jim's leadership, our accomplishments led to nearly eliminating the company's debt, significantly improving Piper's financial performance and creating a platform for future success."

Becker is a 20-year Piper veteran who has held key management positions within the company before becoming vice president of engineering. Becker joined Piper in 1989 and has since held various positions of increasing responsibility and implemented numerous projects including development of the Meridian, the Seneca V, two models of the Saratoga and the Archer and Warrior II, Piper's entry-level aircraft. As vice president of engineering, Becker has led the team responsible for the ongoing design and development of the PiperJet.

Becker, who also worked with Bombardier Learjet as a powerplant engineer and consultant on the Learjet, has a bachelor's degree in Aviation Technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology and a master certification in program management from George Washington University. He is an instrument-rated commercial pilot and an airframe and power plant mechanic.